Raven sat in the dimly lit office, her fingers idly tapping against the polished wooden desk. The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the city beyond the window. She had taken the time to clean up, to gather her thoughts, but no matter how much she tried to focus on other matters, her mind kept circling back to him.
Naruto Uzumaki.
A name that carried trouble wherever it went.
Raven exhaled, leaning back in her chair, eyes drifting toward the ceiling as she tried to make sense of her encounters with him. At first, she had dismissed him as just another overpowered fool playing hero, but now… now she understood.
He's going to intervene no matter what.
She had observed him, met him, and come to a single, undeniable conclusion—he was chaos incarnate. Not in the way Magneto was, with his grand speeches and righteous fury, nor in the way Xavier was, with his unwavering belief in peace. Naruto was different. He didn't care for the games of ideology, yet somehow, he always ended up in the center of them.
And worst of all?
He was impossible to ignore.
Raven clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms. Her thoughts shifted to Kurt, the son she had abandoned. The son she had failed. She had kept her distance, watching from the shadows, trying to understand him without interfering. The pain of knowing he despised her was something she had learned to live with, but it still gnawed at her.
My child has suffered so much… but I can't even meet him now.
Would he ever forgive her?
Would she even deserve that forgiveness?
Raven sighed, shaking her head. This wasn't the time for sentimentality. She had to focus on the bigger picture—on the survival of her kind.
I can't join them, she thought bitterly, recalling Xavier's teachings. Their goals are just ridiculous and beyond stupidity.
Xavier wanted coexistence. Magneto wanted dominance.
Neither vision accounted for the reality she had lived through—the hatred, the fear, the violence.
A world away from humans…
The idea lingered in her mind, tempting her. A sanctuary where mutants could be safe, where her son could be safe. It was the most viable option, but even then, she knew it wasn't that simple. There would always be those who sought to destroy her kind, who would never stop hunting them.
Raven's grip tightened.
I can't just let them live.
Her heart was heavy with the weight of all the lives lost, all the injustices she had witnessed. Peace was so close, yet the rage inside her refused to let go.
Am I just making excuses?
She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to calm down. She couldn't afford to lose control. Not now. Not when the future of mutantkind hung in the balance.
And then, there was Naruto.
Raven scowled. He was a wild card—unpredictable, infuriating, and far too powerful for her to ignore. He had already inserted himself into her affairs, and she knew he would keep interfering.
How do I get rid of him?
Recruiting more mutants was the obvious answer, but would it be enough?
Would anything ever be enough?
Raven closed her eyes, letting the silence of the room envelop her. For now, she needed a plan. Something to counteract Naruto's influence.
Because if she didn't…
She had no doubt he would turn her world completely upside down.
Out in the depths of space, Wanda Maximoff drifted through the void, searching for her brother. She had no idea that Pietro Maximoff, Quicksilver, was on Earth causing chaos for his own amusement.
Nineteen years old, with white hair that contrasted against his slim yet athletic frame, Pietro was a man of unwavering loyalty. He owed his life to Magneto, and in return, he had pledged himself to the Master of Magnetism's cause. But outside of missions?
Well...
Here he was, dashing through the bustling streets of New York, playing with the unsuspecting populace like a mischievous spirit. His super speed made him practically invisible to the human eye, allowing him to indulge in petty thrills—lifting wallets, swiping snacks, and even leaving some pedestrians humiliated in the middle of the street.
Wedgies, missing pants, and in some unfortunate cases, completely stripped-down civilians were left confused and horrified in his wake. Pietro, on the other hand, chuckled as he zipped past another group, looking for his next thrill.
But petty theft wasn't enough.
"Let's take this up a notch," Pietro mused, his grin widening.
With that thought, he dashed into a bank, emptied the vault within seconds, and left not a single trace behind. Minutes later, he was at a dealership, dropping a ridiculous amount of cash on a brand-new Lamborghini.
And then, just as he was about to enjoy his newfound ride, a familiar red-and-blue-clad hero swung down from above.
Thwip!
Spider-Man landed on the hood of the sports car, arms crossed.
"Hey, bro, how's it going?" Pietro greeted with a cheeky grin, reclining in the driver's seat.
"Oh, you know, great," Peter said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Absolutely awesome now that you've given me an excuse to ditch my smoking hot girlfriend for the night and chase you around town."
Pietro chuckled. "I'm sensing some hostility."
"You think?" Peter shot back, gesturing toward the entire area, now covered in webbing.
Pietro merely smirked. "Cute trick, but—"
Zwoosh!
In an instant, he was gone, effortlessly slipping through the webbing as if it was air. His speed far exceeded the tensile strength of Peter's organic web formula, and just like that, he left the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man tangled up and groaning in frustration.
Then came the call.
"Pietro, follow the signal and get the girl away from the X-Men."
The voice was unmistakable—Magneto himself. But something was different this time. His tone was sharper, more urgent.
"Must be important," Pietro thought, his smirk fading slightly.
In a heartbeat, he changed direction, his body becoming a blur of silver lightning as he pushed himself to his limit.
It took less than a second to arrive.
A small house, an ordinary neighborhood. Standing outside the door was a familiar figure—Logan.
Wolverine.
Pietro clicked his tongue. Now this could be annoying.
Option One: Fight Logan.
Problem: His adamantium skeleton made him a pain in the ass to deal with.
Option Two: Grab the girl and leave before anyone could react.
Solution: Much easier.
With a flicker of movement, Pietro adjusted his footing, setting his sights on the window—his quickest entry point.
And then—
BOOM!
A flash of blue lightning cracked through the air, striking the ground just inches in front of him. The sheer force of the impact sent sparks flying, the shockwave rattling the street as the pavement cracked beneath the surge of electricity.
Pietro skidded to a stop, eyes wide. His body tingled from the residual energy.
Lightning?
"Storm, babe. What are you doing? I could have gotten hurt, and then how would I be able to enjoy that chocolate body of yours?" Pietro quipped, dodging Cyclops's optic blasts and Storm's lightning with effortless ease, all while keeping a very safe distance from Logan.
Storm's eyes glowed white with fury. "You had the guts to set up my nephew?!"
"Who?" Pietro blinked before realization hit him. "Ohhh, spike kid. Yeah, I asked him to join me, but he just had to say no."
BOOM!
Another blast of lightning barely missed him.
"STOP RUNNING!" Logan bellowed, slashing wildly.
"No can do!" Pietro grinned, seizing the opportunity to zip past them and straight into the house, where the real target was waiting.
A young girl with green hair and piercing eyes stood frozen, staring through the window at the commotion.
Pietro wasted no time.
Before she could react, he had her in his arms and was already making his escape.
"STOP HIM!" Logan roared.
Not happening, old man.
Or so Pietro thought.
Because then things got weird.
The moment he hit full speed, his chest tightened. His breath hitched. His body felt... wrong.
Pain shot through his muscles, and his limbs locked up.
In the next moment, he dropped the girl as if she had suddenly turned into molten lava.
Lorna Dane hit the ground and quickly scrambled back, eyes flickering with barely restrained power.
Pietro gasped, placing a hand over his chest. "Babe, that was just too naughty."
The girl furrowed her brows. "Who are you?"
"The fastest man in the universe, Quicksilver, at your service," he replied, regaining his breath and flashing his usual cocky grin.
Lorna's expression remained cautious.
She had seen what he had done—how he toyed with the X-Men, caused chaos across cities, and acted like it was all just a game.
"Why are you after me?" she asked warily.
"Because you're a mutant," Pietro answered simply, before his smirk widened. "And because I wanted to be faster than you—"
WHAM.
Everything stopped.
Pietro froze, unable to move, unable to even think for a solid second.
Because behind him—gripping his head like a steel vice—was the one person he absolutely did not want to mess with.
Naruto Uzumaki.
"Not the fastest now, kid," Naruto murmured in amusement.
Pietro gulped audibly. "Oh, crap baskets."
"Nice kid," Naruto continued, tightening his grip just enough to send a clear message. "Say hi to Magneto for me. Tell him I'm waiting for his response, so call me soon, yeah?"
He then turned his attention to Lorna, his expression softening instantly. He held out a hand.
"Come here, child. I'll take you home."
The gentle tone, the warmth in his voice—it was unexpected. Almost too unexpected.
Lorna hesitated, blinking up at him.
For a moment, she wasn't sure what to do.
She had been approached before. Persuaded, recruited, used. But this? This wasn't forceful. It wasn't a demand.
It was... comforting.
For some reason, she felt safe.
Before she knew it, her body moved on its own.
She walked forward, reached out, and placed her hand in his.
"Good girl," Naruto praised.
Lorna had been complimented before. Had been told she was smart, strong, capable.
But somehow, those simple words—said in that voice—sent a shiver down her spine.
Her cheeks tinged pink.
Naruto led Lorna through the grand halls of the mansion, his usual relaxed demeanor unwavering despite the weight of the situation.
Lorna, for her part, was trying to stay focused on his words, but her attention kept drifting elsewhere.
Specifically—to him.
The way he walked, effortlessly confident yet casual. The way his golden eyes seemed to hold a hidden amusement, as if the entire world was a game only he truly understood. The way his presence alone made her feel oddly... safe.
She had never been one to trust easily, but there was something about him that made her want to listen.
And she did.
She listened as he explained the situation—why Magneto wanted her, why the X-Men had tried to protect her, and where she stood in all of this.
Naruto was no fool. He had noticed the way Lorna's gaze lingered on him, the way her lips parted slightly when she was caught staring.
It was nothing new to him. He had seen it before—plenty of times.
Still, he didn't take it seriously.
She's young. It's probably just a fleeting attraction, he mused, shrugging it off.
The real problem was the drama this was about to bring.
Because Lorna Dane's identity was no small thing.
'Magneto is so blowing a fuse at the moment. I don't even need to look at him,' Naruto thought with amusement, already picturing the Master of Magnetism seething in rage somewhere across the world.
That alone was worth the trouble.
Lorna, however, was blissfully unaware of the storm brewing in the background. She had other things on her mind.
"Will you be teaching me?" she asked suddenly, excitement creeping into her tone.
The question surprised even herself.
She hadn't even thought about what would happen to her normal studies or life. The idea of learning from him had just taken over.
Naruto smirked at her enthusiasm. "If you can handle it, then I'd love to teach you some tricks."
Lorna beamed.
"I'll join then!" she declared happily, before pausing. "So... what forms do I need to fill out?"
Naruto chuckled. "I'll let the man handle it."
Then, before she could react, he leaned in slightly, his fingers brushing her chin as he tapped her cheek lightly.
"We'll meet later, so relax." His voice was calm, almost teasing.
Lorna froze.
Heat rushed to her face, her heartbeat stuttering for a second as her mind blanked out.
And then—
The world shifted.
In the blink of an eye, she was no longer in the hallway.
She was standing inside a study, a neatly arranged room with towering bookshelves and a desk at the center.
Seated behind it was a bald man, his expression patient and knowing.
Professor Charles Xavier.
"Welcome," he said smoothly, folding his hands together.
Lorna barely registered his words.
Because all she could think about was the lingering warmth on her cheek—
And the blond enigma who had just completely turned her world upside down.